Winners are grinners and Germany players couldn't resist a couple of cheap shots at the expense of Argentina and Brazil as the team celebrated their victorious World Cup homecoming in Berlin.

In a joyous occasion that attracted nearly half a million people to the city's "fan mile", the Germany squad let their standards slip a couple of times, drawing criticism from media observers and on social media.

After a two-hour bus ride to cover 11km from the airport through packed streets, players were sent on stage in groups to front the massive crowd.

The second group of players included Miroslav Klose, the all-time record World Cup scorer, and Mario Goetze, the scorer of Germany's extra-time winner in the 1-0 extra time win over Argentina.

The Times has reported that the pair came out walking hunched over while singing: "This is how the gauchos go."

They then stood tall and bellowed: "This is how the Germans go."

Gauchos were the south American equivalent of the north American "cowboys".

The chant was used by fans at the World Cup to taunt rival Argentina supporters and the players' use of it overnight drew immediate criticism on Twitter and in the German media for souring an otherwise superb occasion.

"That was not so nice," Der Spiegel said on its website.

"The German team has received worldwide recognition as good winners. Evidently in the celebrations for the world title some of the professionals have not kept up the good work. Mario Goetze, Miroslav Klose, Toni Kroos, Andre Schurrle, Shkodran Mustafi and Roman Weidenfeller made fun of final opponents Argentina."

The next group of players on stage, led out by star goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, arrived in a snake formation with their hands on the shoulders of the man in front, just like the Brazilian team did during the tournament.

The actions appeared to be a gentle dig at their semifinal victims, who Germany thrashed 7-1 much to the embarrassment of the host nation.

The actions came a day after Fifa boss Sepp Blatter said he was troubled by racism and discrimination in football and commented his organisation could do more in its stand against them.

''We have to fight it and I am not at all happy with the way we have fought against racism here,'' he said of the Brazil-hosted World Cup.